A. H. GOBERT—FRENCH CHAMPION.

In a very interesting "Windsor*

r.!?tide A. H. Gobert —I'reneh champion 1911-13 and 1919, 1H20; covered cv^urt champion 1912; world's covered court champion, singles o.nd doubles 1919-20 —tells some of the occurrences in • his tennis life. He soys he first handled a racquet, lent by one of his sister'sfrie\ids. at the age of eleven. It was at the time when all was back-play, when it was forbidden almost to< approach the< net and volley. Such play would have been considered that only

•;i n "carottk-r'' or unfair player Backhands were, quite unknown, and everyone tried to run round. He joined a good club a year after and got good practice, with tlie losuit that he soon got ;; will' at tr-e lionle;ate cup meeting. He was able to play with really capable players and rapidly improved. His good form was the (result, he says, of consistent, hrwd practice, not a r.atiirpl p;ft. He managed, though with difficulty, to soueej:? practice in between lectures on engineering;, nr.d also read up carefully all the books he con Id secure on the frame. "Ment'j'ly," he adds. "I learnt the game by forming for myself my own conception of it, but I learn+_the actual strokes by practice with Wave, a (really good player who took an interest in my play." In 1910 he won his first international against F. G. Lowe. A trio to London gave him experience on grass courts, and taught him steadiness. He pays a generous tribute, too. to the coaching he got from L. O. S. Poidevin. the Australif^v. one of the best of teachers, who had a, wonderful idea of the value of "placement" of shots. In 1912 he won the covered wf't championship, beatincr Anthony. "Wilding, and in the All Comers at the Olympic he was beaten only in the final by A. TV. Gore.